'Year of the Ox': Chinese New Year marked virtually this year

Kevin Ashford speaks to Jimmy Tsang from the North East Chinese Association

It's usually one of the most colourful celebrations seen in this country, but this year's Chinese New Year will be very different.

It's in sharp contrast to just over a year ago.

The spread of the Coronavirus was viewed from this country as still a distant danger.

Sixteen cities in China had been put into lockdown but the Chinese Ambassador said his country was doing all it could to control COVID-19. 

"The Chinese Government is very much determined to curb this virus. President Xi has already ordered to take emergency measure to control it."

But China, like the rest of the world, is still living with the effects of the global pandemic.

It's normally the busiest time of the year for travel in China - this year the stations are virtually deserted as people opt to stay at home. 

Travel between the UK and China was booming pre-pandemic. In 2019 it had reached a record level of more than 883,000 visits...estimated to be worth £1.71 billion to the UK economy.

Fang Wang has lived in the UK for nine years and has often gone back to China for the New Year celebrations...she says festivities in China will also be different.

"This year, although people are allowed to travel to visit family and friends but what I have learned from my family and my friends in China is that most of them will give up. They will stay at home without travelling to other cities by public transport because it would not just be a risk for themselves but also for the elderly people they are going to visit."

With direct flights suspended, there'll be no visitors from China here for the New Year.

It's an important market which had reached a record level pre-pandemic of more than 883,000 visits in 2019 - estimated to be worth £1.71 billion to the UK economy.

This year's Chinese New Year will be the year of the ox - it's a symbol for hard work - which will a useful attribute for a world trying to recover from a global pandemic.

Words by Kevin Ashford